Joliet fines liquor store for unlicensed 'amusement devices'

The Ranch Liquors store at 83 W. Jefferson St. was fined $2,000 for having unlicensed amusement devices.

Ranch Liquors on Jefferson Street has been fined $2,000 for having unlicensed "amusement devices" at the store, which is nearly kitty-corner from city hall.

Whether the two devices were actually gambling machines was not established at a liquor commission hearing last week, said Assistant City Attorney Chris Regis.

Regis said there is some debate about the machines installed at the 83 W. Jefferson St. store meeting the legal definition of gaming devices, although people apparently have won money from the games.

"They're claiming that you don't actually win money. You win a chance to make money," he said.

The store's owner, Sahal Bashir, did say at the liquor commission hearing that he had paid out money won from the machines in the past, Regis said.

Bashir could not be reached Tuesday for comment.

Once it was established that the machines were unlicensed amusement devices, that offense was used as the basis for the disciplinary action, said Regis, who noted the same kinds of machines have been installed elsewhere without a clear determination of whether they can be defined as gaming devices.

The city was investigating the similar machines at a convenience store when they were removed before a complaint was filed, he said.

Ranch Liquors was fined $1,000 each for two devices. The fine was issued by Mayor Bob O'Dekirk, who also serves as the city's liquor commissioner.